Benefits of Hiring a Conveyancer
A conveyancer protects your interests as you purchase real estate. Most people underestimate the need to hire a conveyancer in a bid to save the property exchange fees. Nevertheless, the professional's services will help prevent oversights that could lead to prosecution or loss of funds. Below are several compelling reasons to engage a conveyancer's services.
Property Search
If you are interested in a property, how can you tell that the property documents are authentic? In most cases, you only rely on the seller's word. However, this is not the case when you hire a conveyancer. The professional contacts the local lands office to establish if the property is registered in the seller's name. Moreover, they assess the plot size and lot number to determine if these details match the information in the title.
Legal Issues
Several legal issues could crop up during the property exchange process. For example, if the property is in a strata development, you could want to know the owners association bylaws. For instance, how many parking lots are you allocated? How much do you pay to maintain the shared property? Are pets allowed in the development? It is pretty challenging to change these regulations. Therefore, understanding them goes a long way in helping you determine whether or not to buy the property. Suppose you intend to renovate the property; your lawyer should interpret planning regulations. For example, you could be prohibited from changing the house design if the area is zoned as a heritage site. Moreover, you might need permits from the local council before conducting significant renovations.
Finally, other people or utility companies could have rights to your property. For instance, the neighbour could have an easement to park on your property. Alternatively, a utility company might have the right to install water or power lines on the property. Understanding these easements prevents you from breaching the law. For example, your neighbour could move to court if you disregard the easement terms.
Negotiations
One of the benefits of engaging a conveyancer is that you have the upper hand when negotiating the property. Ideally, the conveyancer uses information from their background research to ensure you purchase property at a reasonable cost. For example, the conveyancer could use property defects and legal issues such as the lack of permits to compel the seller to reduce the asking price. Moreover, they negotiate for friendly terms. For instance, the conveyancer could ask the seller to include water tanks, shades, and gazebos in the sale without raising the selling price.
Contact a professional to learn more about conveyancing services.